Many parades involve the carrying of flags or colors by one or a number of individuals, often at the head of a particular unit. Particularly where there are a number of individuals each carrying a flag in relatively close proximity to each other, the appearance of the colors bearers depends upon their holding their respective flags at an angle with an orientation within an acceptable range. Moreover, poles supporting flags in close proximity to each other should be oriented at approximately the same angle and tilted in the same direction.
Achieving this may be difficult because flag bearers are required to look forward, and are not free to look up at each other's flags to determine whether the desired alignment has been achieved.